The noise of the final buzzer fills the fieldhouse. It is half time. The basketball team rushes off the floor. It’s time for the entertainment piece: the dance team. Loud music begins as the girls take their starting positions, and the next five minutes are filled with high energy, sharp moves and plenty of sass. There is only one problem: No one in the audience is paying much attention.

Dance has been a part of my life for 13 years. I dance privately at a local studio, and now I am honored to be the junior captain of the dance team here at SHS. So, inevitably, I have massive respect for each and every one of the dancers. I want them to be respected for everything they do.

At SHS, the dance team is very under-appreciated. Like any sports team, we train hard, which includes difficult conditioning exercises and practices many days a week. Each performance showcases a different routine, and we give full energy and commitment every time. In front of the eyes of the whole student section, we give our best.

Some of the high schools surrounding Perry Township are not as fortunate as we are to have a dance team. Although, PMHS does happen to have one. PMHS and SHS  have danced at the same event, and our two teams equally support each other. I was lucky enough to speak with Chloe Rodgers, a member of the dance team at PMHS. She says that although the group has gained support over the years and have been given plenty of opportunities to showcase their dances, they are still only considered a club and there are some kinks within the program.

It is hard to be a dancer. According to the Star Tribune, the largest newspaper in Minneapolis, Minnesota, dance team challenges strength, stamina, flexibility and balance. It even builds self-confidence. We have to have enough strength to hold ourselves up during the entire dance, and even lift other girls! We need to have enough stamina to be able to get through a three to five minute long dance without stopping for a breath. Regarding flexibility, our legs have to be able to reach our heads when kicked. And balance is one of the most important aspects. Balance keeps dancers upright, sharp and on their feet at all times.

Dance provides amazing opportunities as well. For example, on Indeed.com, one of the leading job sites in the world, there are at least 6,000 job openings regarding dance. Also, according to the National Dance Alliance, there are plenty of scholarship opportunities pertaining to college recruitment.

A sport is defined as an activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or team competes against another or others for entertainment while art is defined as the expression or application of human creative skill and imagination producing works to be appreciated primarily for their beauty or emotional power. Dancing is both an art and a sport. In my opinion, it is more of a universal language. Every culture has a dancing aspect, and it is very important to many people. We should bring that importance to SHS.